The present invention relates generally to metal cable ties, and more particularly to a coated metal cable tie which utilizes a roller or ball locking mechanism. Prior known metal locking straps have utilized a coating such as nylon over the entire surface of the strap body to provide benefits, including protecting objects from abrasion, making the ties easier to handle in cold temperatures, and preventing galvanic reactions between the steel tie and a different metal. Ball-lock type cable ties have advantages over prior metal cable ties or straps, including being self-locking and infinitely adjustable. Prior attempts at coating the entire strap portion of a ball-lock cable tie of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,592 resulted in a degradation of the loop tensile strength of the tie. An improved coated metal ball-lock tie is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,534 which provided for a selectively coated ball-lock type cable tie which left an uncoated longitudinally extending medial portion of the strap aligned with the strap locking means so as to provide an improved overall cable tie. While the ′534 teachings allow the locking mechanism for these types of ties to work properly, the objectives are not fulfilled as sufficiently as that of a more fully coated tie.